Bete Liquid

Our home is one of the most valuable and precious assets for us. Keeping our house in a good shape and protecting it from various hazards should be our prime objective and responsibility.

Along with our living room, bedrooms, kitchen, we also need to take care of places like our backyard, garden area and garage. Generally we see that people fail to take care of their garage even though a garage is one of the most important parts of the house. There is nothing worse than a sight wherein oil greets you from on the garage floor as you enter. Absorb garage mats are the perfect solution for such problems. They help you keep the floor neat, tidy and stainless.

As the garage is usually the place where you may repair try and repair the car by yourself. The garage therefore ends up being prone to Oil Spills and oil stains on a regular basis with the absorb mat created from a truly amazing material which has the ability and capacity to absorb and hold gallons of liquids including oil. The garage floor mat comes with a three year guarantee too which states that the mat will not leak, crack or tear within the guarantee period. Manufacturers also guarantee that the mat will lie still and flat on the floor without any buckling or curling..

Many people try to save the garage floor from dirty stains by using doormats, cardboard, towels and even plastic bags. Though these are cheaper and prevent the floor from getting dirty with oil, dirt and other chemical spills to a certain extent, these solutions are nowhere as effective as the garage absorb mat.

The best quality absorb mat is that which does not allow any liquid to penetrate through it and holds liquids such as oil and other chemicals and later seep them into the ground thereby recycling them. The environment is most benefited because of the ability of a absorb mat to do that.

Abzorb Mats are available in different sizes as per the requirement of the consumers. The smallest size of a garage absorb mat is 3′x3′ which works very well for maintenance of motorcycle and repairs of smaller sized cars. As the size is small, the mat fits easily under lawn equipment stored in the garage.

A garage absorb mat is also available in another size 3′*5′. This sized mat is one of the most commonly used mats. The reason for higher demand of this mat is because the engine area of most vehicles is accommodated by this mat.

In the beginning, when the garage absorb mat was introduced into the market, only industrial related businessman were able to afford it because of the high price. As the absorb mat has gained more mileage and popularity over the years, more and more companies have started manufacturing these mats and hence competition has been a key factor for the considerable fall in prices of the absorb mats. Today, a garage absorb mat is very much affordable for those who can afford to have a garage.

Jim Ames
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/better-protection-with-an-absorb-mat-747881.html

To reduce the amount of dust and grit brought onto your floors, install mats at all outside entryways. Make sure these mats are kept clean and in good condition as well. Be aware that oil from driveways and/or roads can stain quite easily. Make sure shoes are clean before walking on the floor.

Another note about shoes: High heels (particularly stiletto), work boots, shoes with cleats, and hard soled shoes can quickly damage your floor. Avoid walking on your floors with these types of shoes as much as possible. If you must walk on your floors with high heels, make sure the heels are in good repair to minimize damage to the floor. Also, check any shoe for rocks, pebbles, etc. lodged in the sole before walking on your floors.

Make sure dust and grit are cleaned up daily or at least as often as needed. When walked on, dust and grit act like sandpaper. This can and will quickly damage your surface. A soft bristled broom, dust mop or vacuum with an attachment for cleaning bamboo (or hardwood) floors is the recommended tool for frequent cleanups.

Make sure all spills are cleaned up quickly. If necessary, a lightly damp mop or soft cloth can be used to clean up wet or sticky spills. Make sure you dry the floor completely with a clean soft cloth afterwards.

Use area rugs to protect high traffic areas or areas that are prone to liquid spills. In the kitchen it is suggested to have a rug in front of the stove and one in front of the sink. These are both places that see a lot of traffic and are highly likely to experience liquid spills on the floor. Make sure the rugs are kept clean so dirt and grit do not get trapped underneath. Also, make sure the backing is not too rough, which could damage the finish.

Protect your floors from dents and scratches from heavy furniture. Place soft protective pads under the feet of all furniture. Make sure the pads are kept in good condition and replace as necessary. Never drag heavy furniture unprotected across your floors. If furniture has casters, make sure the casters are made of soft, non marking materials such as rubber. Hard casters made of metal or plastic will quickly damage your floor.

Clean your bamboo floors as necessary with the manufacturer’s suggested no-wax, non-alkaline floor cleaning product. Although, more resistant to moisture than wood flooring, bamboo can still be damaged by too much water. If the product requires mixing with water, follow the label directions exactly. Also, do not let the cleaner (or any other liquid for that matter) to pool on the surface of the floor. This could result in damage to the finish or bamboo itself.

To prevent shrinking or swelling of your floor, use a humidifier or dehumidifier to maintain relative humidity of 30-50%. Excessive humidity can cause your floor to swell, while a lack of humidity can cause the floor to contract (shrink). This can eventually lead to an uneven floor and/or gaps between the boards.

As much as possible, limit your bamboo floor’s exposure to sunlight. Use good quality drapes or blinds and rotate area rugs. If the floor is exposed to too much sunlight, the floor may darken in some areas and lighten in others.

If you notice the finish of your bamboo floors has lost its sheen, or you notice lots of scratches and nicks, it may be time to re-coat or restore the floor’s finish. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for what product to use to restore the shine.

Never use abrasive cleaners or tools such as scouring powder or steel wool on your bamboo floors. If you have stains remaining after general cleaning, first attempt to remove them by rubbing a clean soft cloth moistened with wood floor cleaner. If the stain is still visible, try another clean soft cloth moistened with mineral spirits. Make sure you carefully read and follow all directions on the cleaning product label.

Damion Rutherford
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/bamboo-floor-maintenance-87780.html

Pimples on the skin are formed the same way only some of them take a course for the worse and develop into what we commonly know of as acne. Pimples develop differently on various people, and so does the medication or treatment react differently to them.

Acne occurs mainly when a hair follicle becomes infected. A hair follicle is basically a hair root and acne is formed when this follicle gets clogged with oil and a ‘comedo’ is formed. The clogging of the hair follicle is caused by excessive oils secreted by the follicle.

As the secretion of oil increases and the follicle gets even more clogged the comedo grows leading to inflammation of the skin near the follicle. Thus a pimple is formed. This pimple may remain under the skin or break through as a bump. There are many categories of acne and each type requires a different type of treatment. Some types of acne and their corresponding treatments are covered here.

First of all we have the non-inflammatory acne. This is what is commonly referred to as a ‘whitehead’. This is actually a closed comedo and occurs when the clogged air follicle remains just beneath the skin. You may have noticed a small white bump no larger than a pencil tip just under the skin. This is what we are referring to as a white head. There is nothing to worry about white heads. Just remove them with some hot water and cotton. Never try to squeeze them out. Some steam over the face can help remove white heads quite easily. Then apply some oil free moisturizer after removing the white heads.

When the comedo changes to an open comedo, it turns into a blackhead. This occurs when the white head is pushed through the surface of the skin sue to enlargement of the clogging of the follicle. Do not mistake the blackhead for dirt, it is not so. The darkness of the blackhead comes from concentration of melanin in the skin, the pigment that gives the skin its dark colour. Blackheads are an inflammatory form of acne.

The papule, which is a tiny pinkish bump on the surface of the skin, is the mildest kind of acne. These are very sensitive to touch and are a step between non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne. You then have pustules that are also small, round lesions. However, unlike papules they clearly contain pus, a sign of infection. The yellowish center of the reddish bump is an indication of pus. Though they do not contain serious amounts of bacteria they do get inflamed due to irritation caused by sebum components.

We then have the very painful nodular or cystic form of acne. These are lesions that are filled with pus and occur deep under the skin. Cystic acne develops when the contents of the infected hair follicle spills over and infects the surrounding tissue and the immune system of the body reacts producing pus. This kind of acne can last for weeks or months developing into cysts that are known to leave very deep scars that are permanent in nature.

Understanding the cause of your acne is an important step in preventing the spreads of the condition and the proper treatment that needs to be followed. It’s called getting to the root of the problem.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/acne-articles/acne-types-and-causes-true-story-of-acne-revealed-708954.html

Taking the proper care of your floors will keep them looking their best and will help them last longer.

Carpet Care

* Vacuum at least once a week!

When dirt and dust are left in a carpet, they become gritty, sharp particles that grind down the pile of the carpet.

Using a vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush will loosen the dirt making it easier for the vacuum to remove soil. Vacuums with top-loading bags are preferred over bottom-loading bags.

* Change the disposable bag or empty the vacuum often.

Carpet with thick loop pile construction (Berber) may be sensitive to brushing, rubbing, or scraping of the pile surface which may cause fuzzing and pile distortion. It is recommended that vacuums with suction action only be used on these styles.

Carpet sweepers and electric brooms are useful for picking up crumbs and surface soil, but it is important to know that they will not deep clean.

* Use preventative maintenance

It is important to use runners at each entry to the home. This will greatly reduce the accumulation of dirt on your flooring.

Clean Spots and Spills Immediately! For best results, give prompt attention to spots and spills.

* Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.

* Blot up liquid spills with a white towel.

* Never rub, scrub, or use a brush. This may cause damage to carpet fibers.

* Use a cleaning agent and procedure appropriate for the type of stain being removed.

* Apply all cleaning agents to the cloth rather than directly to the stained area to avoid saturating the carpet when spot cleaning.

* Clean the fibers, not the backing.

* Do not rush. Deep stains might require repeat cleanings because they can “wick” back up after initial cleaning.

* Work from the outside to the center of large stains. This prevents spreading.

Your carpet should be professionally cleaned at least every 12 to 18 months depending on traffic in your home.

Hardwood Care

Take good care of your hardwood floors and they will last a lifetime.

* Water and hardwood floors do not mix! Use only the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your hardwood floor.

* Small stones, mud and gritty dirt tracked in from outside can scratch the finish of your wood floor. To help combat this, use long bristle welcome mats placed at all outside entrances for people to wipe their feet on before entering onto the floors. Also, vacuum using a soft bristle brush attachment.

* Narrow wheels, sharp wooden legs or metal furniture legs can scratch and dent hardwood floors. Any furniture that rests directly on top of a hardwood floor should have felt protectors, or furniture coasters under all legs.

* There are many over the counter oil-based soaps and wax based cleaning products that may damage or dull the finish of your wood floor. Only use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your hardwood flooring.

* If your hardwood floor has a polyurethane finish never use a paste wax on the floors surface. A paste wax may form a sticky film on your floor and allow tracked in dirt to stick to your wood finish. Wax will not adhere to a polyurethane finish and may make re-application of polyurethane difficult.

* When accidents occur and liquid is spilled on your hardwood floor, use a slightly damp white cloth, or paper towel to immediately clean up and dry the affected area. For more difficult spots, follow the manufacturers recommended cleaning procedures.

Laminate Care

Although Laminate floors are tough, you should follow these directions to keep them in good shape.

* Remove loose dirt by using a non-beater bar vacuum or a dust mop.

* With a damp mop or cloth, clean your laminate flooring once a week with a vinegar solution (1/4 cup of white vinegar to 2 gallons of clean tap water) or a nonabrasive household cleaner, such as ammonia and water solution. Do not saturate the flooring.

* Do not use abrasive cleaners, steel wool, soap-based detergents, waxes, polishes, or scouring powder as they may scratch or dull the flooring surface.

* Wipe up spills immediately. Avoid allowing liquids to stand on your flooring.

* A more frequent dust mopping or vacuuming schedule may be required in high traffic or sandy areas.

* For tough spots, such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape the spot with a plastic scraper. Even a credit card will do. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

* Do not use any type of buffing machine.

* Use protective mats at the entry and exits to help collect the dirt and moisture that could damage the laminate floor.

* Use floor protectors or glides under furniture legs.

* Frequent vacuuming using a non-beater bar will pick up dirt and grime.

Glazed Ceramic Tile Care

Glazed ceramic tile requires less floor care than most other flooring types. However, there are things you need to do to maintain the beauty of your ceramic tile floor.

* Wash the floor regularly to remove any dirt or grit. Use a water-based all purpose cleaner. Stay away from cleaners containing acid or bleach. Acidic cleaners, even a light solution of vinegar and water, will etch and eventually damage tile and grout.

* Sweep, dust mop or vacuum your glazed tile regularly.

* Ammonia based cleaners may discolor some types of colored grout. Acidic cleaners will also cause cementitious grout to deteriorate and strip the pigmentation from colored grout.

* After washing with a water-based cleaner you should thoroughly rinse the floor with clean, warm water.

* The glazed ceramic finish should never be waxed.

* Liquids spills may be wiped up with an all-purpose cleaner. This will also help the grout joints from becoming discolored from spilled liquids.

* Non-epoxy grout joints should be treated with a water-based grout sealer to simplify maintenance and prevent discoloration from spilled liquids.

Vinyl Care

* Vacuum regularly to remove grit and sand. Wash your floor occasionally with the recommended floor cleaner.

* Wipe up spills immediately. If necessary, clean with the recommended cleaner. You can also clean with lukewarm water and clear ammonia.

* If your floor becomes dull looking you may need to add the recommended floor polish to restore the original gloss level. First, try cleaning with lukewarm water and clear ammonia to see if there is a film on your floor causing the dullness.

* Never use abrasive cleaners, soaps, paste waxes, or solvents on your vinyl floor.

* Place non-staining, walk-off mats or carpet runners at every outside entry to your room. This will help keep sand and grit from being tracked on to your floor.

Area Rug Care

Regular vacuuming will help rugs retain their beauty and will extend the life of the rug.

Clean spills immediately with the following method: blot with a clean cloth, spot clean with a solution of clear dish washing detergent (non-bleach) and water, rinse with water, and blot dry.

When necessary, have your area rug professionally cleaned periodically using the hot water extraction method.

Window Covering Care

MiniBlinds: Vacuum with a soft brush attachment or dust with a feather duster or lambs-wool duster or tool for blinds.

Vertical Blinds: Vacuum carefully with the brush attachment used for draperies, or clean with a lambs-wool duster. If fabric-covered, spot-clean only; do not use soap and water.

Wood Blinds: Dust with vacuum or lambs-wool duster. For occasional deep cleaning, use a wood cleaner such as oil soap. Do not use soap and water on wood blinds.

Wood Shutters: Dust natural wood shutters. If painted, wash in place. Cover the floor and sill with plastic or a drop cloth. Use a brush dipped in detergent and water. Rinse and dry with a cotton cloth.

Shane Hester
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/start-caring-about-your-flooring-122223.html

Needless to mention, this is a very complex and sensitive subject. However, anyone over 50 years old can remember a childhood where the environment was quite different.

The world’s population insane dependence on fossil fuels (while there are acceptable and non-polluting alternatives) is basically killing our clean and environment, and us with it.

What is Oil Pollution?

Oil pollution is simply the spilling of crude or refined petroleum product into the environment. There are some staggering statistics that follow.

These are statistics from the 1995 Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, and have not been updated. It is estimated that the overall totals have increased two or three fold.

• Accidental spills from ships : 140 Million tons
• Routine maintenance of ships and equipment: 511 Millions tons
• Air pollution in the rains (entering the seas): 348 Million tons
• Land disposal of fuels entering the seas: 1,374 Million tons
• Natural seepage (from sea sources) 234 Million tons

The above does NOT include China or India statistics. A total of 2,607 Millions of tons of petroleum had ended up in the environment (estimated in 1995). Now 11 years later, the total is estimated to have trippled, and we are witnessing a gradual increase in Earth temperature due to global warming, other alarming changes in the weather, pollution traces found in both the environment and animals (and plants) in the wild.

Despite the MARPOL rules (marine pollution act by the United Nations), and other legislation, oil pollution continues. A recent survey by marine toxicologists have confirmed alarming amounts of damage to the livers in a wide spectrum of marine fish and mammals. Almost all fish sampled had high levels of heavy metals in the tissue (crude oil contains a great deal of heavy metal, vanadium among them, which is toxic to most animals).

The bottom feeders and marine crustaceans (also living on the bottom of the sea) had an equally high level of absorbed heavy metals and other pollutants (PCB and Dioxin for example).

The natural microbes and small aquatic life that can biodegrade the oil (into water and carbon dioxide) are overwhelmed and cannot cope. There is a lack of available nutrients in areas that surround Oil Spills, and pollution sites.

One sees large groups of whales or dolphins beaching themselves, and puzzled scientists to explain why. It doesn’t take much to figure it out. Whole species of plants and animals are disappearing on a regular basis.

Oil pollution can not be solved by legislation, or by being more careful. So much oil pollution enters the atmosphere, and then the environment, the only measure that we can take is to immediately reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. Places like California in the United States has already taken the first steps, but has not gone so far as outlawing the fossil fuel.

Knowing that there are fuel cells which can burn clean hydrogen, there are electric engines and solar cells to run the ubiquitous automobile. There is wind and wave power to create clean and non-polluting sources of electricity. Sadly the interests of big business are coming before the safety of the human race.

Sacha Tarkovsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/oil-pollution-and-what-it-is-doing-to-our-world-56289.html

When we hear about an oil spill that has occurred in some part of the world we may be unaware of just how much oil has been spilled into either the water or on land. When we are talking about an oil spill, we are talking about a huge amount of oil that can do serious damage to the environment in which it was spilled.

How do Oil Spills happen?

Oil spills into rivers; bays and oceans are caused by accidents that usually involve tankers, barges, or refineries. Usually the oil is being transported to another part of the world for various reasons. People who by some form or another make mistakes or are being careless in what they are doing cause the spills themselves. Oil spills are not always caused by human mistake however; sometime machinery can break down which cause oil to spill out into the surrounding environment.

What happens when oil spills occur?

If an oil spill occurs in the ocean, the oil itself will float in salt water. It has been found that if the oil spill occurs in fresh water there is a good chance that the oil will float on top of the water as well. Believe it or not this is a good thing. This means that the oil is confined to the surface of the water, which makes containing the spill a little easier. The problem is that in water the oil will spread out quickly over the surface of the water. The more time the oil is left in the water the more it will spread out to cover a wider surface area, which can have a negative impact on the rate at which it can be contained and corrected.

When oil spills occur in the ocean there is always a chance that the marine life as well as birds and other animals will be negatively affected. Some oil spills have a greater impact on the wildlife then others, but no spill is good. Birds and other animals that are covered in fur, the oil itself actually destroys or breaks down the insulating ability of the fur. For birds, if the fur is covered in oil, the water-repelling abilities of the fur are affected. This exposed the animals to the harsh elements of the environments in which they live. There have been many animals killed as a result of oil spills in the oceans around the world.

Who takes care of Oils Spills?

When an oil spill occurs, who takes care of the problem? There are various, local and federal agencies that can be called upon to take care of oil spills. No matter who is called to take care of the spill the methods employed to clean up the spill are the same. Some agencies will be better equipped to clean up bigger spills whereas local agencies and organizations can handle the smaller, less dangerous spills. It is a criminal offence not to report an oil spill and failure to do so can result in jail time.

James Hunt
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/how-do-oil-spills-happen-10934.html